The White Star Liner Britannic at Sea, bound for New York

Following its acquisition by Thomas Ismay in 1867, the White Star Line which had hitherto run to Australia, turned its attention to the more lucrative North Atlantic passenger trade. Its first six 'Oceanic' class steamers set new standards of luxury on the route and were so successful that two more similar but larger ships were ordered in 1873. Built by Harland & Wolfe at Belfast, as were all the White Star steamers, the first to be completed was Britannic. Actually laid down as Hellenic but renamed on the stocks, she measured 455 feet in length with a 45 foot beam and carried four masts with a single funnel. Engined by Maudslay, Field of London, she could make 15 knots at full steam and had accommodation for 220 First and 1,500 Steerage passengers. Registered at 5,004 tons, she entered service in June 1874 and following some modifications, set new record passages for both the west and the eastbound crossings in November-December 1876. After twenty-five years of regular North Atlantic sailings, she wsa chartered by the British Government to transport troops to South Africa for the Boer War in 1899 but, when released, was deemed too old for modernisation. Sold for breaking, she was scrapped in 1903.